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Baby Starlings |
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Pet Starlings |
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Welcome!
"If you have men who will
exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of
compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal
likewise with their fellow man." ~St. Francis of
Assisi
The purpose of Starling Talk is to give
assistance to people who have found an injured or
orphaned European Starling (Sturnus Vulgaris) or House
Sparrow (Passer domesticus). My name is Jackie Collins,
and I am a former Federal and State permitted wildlife
rehabilitator. I created this website several years ago
after it became apparent that many wildlife
rehabilitators were refusing to accept European
Starlings. I felt there was a need to provide basic
information to people who found starlings and House
Sparrows and were unable to find a wildlife facility
that would take them. You will find the following
sections on my website.
Is Raising A Starling Right For
You?
Did you know that raising a European
starling is NOT right for everyone? If you have
found a baby starling and are considering raising
it, please read this webpage first!
Baby
Starlings and House
Sparrows
See photos to help you identify a baby
European Starling. Read information about keeping
a starling or sparrow nestling warm, what to feed
it, how often to handfeed it, weaning, and raising
for release.
Adult
Starling Diet
Read details about a proper daily diet for
adult pet European starlings. Scroll through
helpful lists of good treat foods, foods to avoid,
and recipes. Links to insect
suppliers can be found on this
page.
Pet
Starlings
- A section devoted to pet starling owners.
Webpages filled with info about pet starling care,
visually
sexing a starling, cages, helpful tips from
pet starling owners, a story about
"Kuro", the oldest captive starling, and Mozart's
Starling. You can also watch videos
of starlings talking. Some neat starling items you
can purchase can be found here
Starling
Health
Health issues in European starlings. Go
here to learn the signs of a sick bird and to see
important information about choosing an avian vet.
Detailed instructions about bone fracture repair
can be found here as well as photos. Also, a page
on the dangers of non-stick
cookware.
Photos
Photo albums showing
gorgeous pet birds from the Starling Talk message
board.
Links
A webpage containing links to
pet starling webpages and other helpful
bird-related websites.
Starlings
This section includes a general European
Starling information page, for those who want
to learn more about European Starlings. There is a
page on frequently
asked questions from the message board, one
listing some good books
on starlings and other wild birds. Also, a series
of pictures of wild
baby starlings from the egg to fledging. Want
to know how birds learn their song, go to: Learning
to Sing. For information on the impact of
starlings on other cavity nesters, as well as
conservation links click here: Starlings
and Cavity Nesters
The Starling Talk Message Board offers
European starling owners an informative, friendly,
relaxing atmosphere where they can gather together
and chat about their birds or where they can ask
questions and receive prompt expert advice.
All types of starling questions
are addressed there, some of them answered by Dr. Vanessa Rolfe, esteemed
avian veterinarian. Click on the above link to find out about
joining the Starling Talk Message Board, the
place to be if you have a pet starling!
It is not my purpose to promote starlings as
pets, as I believe that they should be free. However
that is not always possible with a baby starling who has
been raised alone without other birds to interact with,
for it will imprint on its human caretaker. Since humans
are unable to teach it the things it would have learned
from its parent birds, its chances of being able to
survive in the wild will be greatly
reduced.
Wild
Birds
Please be aware that in the U.S., wild birds
other than Starlings, House Sparrows and Pigeons are
illegal to have without Federal Wildlife Permits. If you
live in the U.S. and have a different bird species
please contact a wildlife rehabber. Some rehabbers will
not accept Starlings, House Sparrows, Pigeons, and some
other birds, please check to be sure that they will
rehab your bird before turning it over to them. To find
a rehabber, click on the following link, or call a local
avian vet for information on finding a rehabber close to
you. Locate
a Wildlife Rehabilitator
Starlings as
Pets
Even
though European starlings are not protected in most
states, it is a good idea to check with your state
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Some states
require a state rehab permit to have them even though
they do not protect them.
